Holiday World Announces Biggest Project Ever

Santa Claus, IN -- The biggest expansion in Holiday World & Splashin' Safari's history was announced this morning as the parks' president, Will Koch, revealed plans for The Legend, a $3 million wooden roller coaster.

"We can't think of a better way to start off the new millenium than by building a huge new roller coaster," says Koch. "Construction of The Legend is already underway and our Guests to the park this season have been very excited about watching the work in progressÉsort of a 'Legend in the making.'"

Themed around the classic Halloween story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Legend will be located in the hilly, wooded terrain of Holiday World's Halloween section. "We're going to give our Guests the ride of their lives next year," says Koch, "as The Legend races through the woods as if chased in terror by the relentless Headless Horseman."

In comparison with Holiday World's top-ranked Raven roller coaster, The Legend will be approximately half again as long, with three major drops of 113 feet and 64 feet, plus a rare spiral drop of 77 feet and a double helix. The new coaster will also race through four tunnels, including an underground tunnel. The Legend is expected to exceed The Raven's top speed by eight miles per hour.

"Through the internet news group rec.roller-coaster, we asked roller coaster enthusiasts from around the world for their input concerning the coaster's design, theme and name," says Koch. "We were inundated with close to 200 emails, and we used a number of their suggestions to fine-tune the design. Plus The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was by far the most popular suggestion for name and theming." The logo, design, and statistics for The Legend are now featured on Holiday World & Splashin' Safari's website at www.holidayworld.com, which will be regularly updated with construction photos through next spring.

The Legend will be one of the featured attractions next summer when Holiday World & Splashin' Safari host the American Coaster Enthusiasts' summer convention, with between 700 and 800 coaster enthusiasts from around the country expected to visit the parks for two days next June.

Koch expects the addition of The Legend to increase Holiday World & Splashin' Safari's attendance by 20 percent in the year 2000. Two new full-time maintenance jobs will be added due to the expansion, plus another 100 seasonal positions.

The Legend Roller Coaster Fact Sheet

DESCRIPTION: The Legend will be Holiday World's second wooden roller coaster to be located in the Halloween section of the park. It will be the largest wooden coaster in Indiana and Kentucky, taking over the spot from The Raven in Holiday World, which has held that position since it opened in 1995. The theme of The Legend will be The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as riders race through the woods as if chased in terror by the relentless Headless Horseman.

FEATURES: The Legend will consist of four rides through tunnels - including an underground tunnel, a series of dramatic drops - including a spiral drop, a double helix, and multiple crossovers with existing rides in Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. The ride is through thickly wooded, hilly terrain.

The Legend Ride Statistics:

TRACK LENGTH: 4,042 feet
RIDE HEIGHT: The maximum height difference on The Legend will be 116 feet.
DROPS: The most dramatic drops on The Legend will measure 113 feet, 77 feet, and 64 feet. The 77-foot drop will feature a rare spiral drop.
HELIX: The Legend will include a double helix.
RIDE TIME: 2 minutes
SPEED: Expected to exceed The Raven's speed by 8 mph.
TRAIN: Single 24-passenger train, with six cars seating four riders each.
LUMBER: Southern Yellow Pine
RIDE CAPACITY: 550 Guests per hour
RIDERS HEIGHT: It is expected that Guests will need to be at least 48 inches tall to ride.
INVESTMENT: $3 million, largest ride project in Holiday World history.
RIDE DESIGNER: Custom Coasters, Inc., West Chester, Ohio.